Even though, in the past, the appendix was considered to be ‘that’ part of the body with no specific function, today these beliefs are about to change. Many scientists are claiming that they have finally revealed its original function. Many believe that the human appendix is nothing but a redundant. However according to many researchers, the human appendix is a shelter for healthy bacteria.
This means that the appendix is the help that your body needs to ‘reboot’ its digestive tract in cases of dysentery or cholera.
According to the researchers from the Duke University Medical Center, North Carolina, the human body drains reserves from the appendix using its good bacteria to fulfill the needed number of bacteria in the intestines that ‘disappear’ as a result of cholera or dysentery.
On the other hand, according to Professor Bill Parker,you should not abuse this fact, and exhaust your appendix at any price.
According to him, it is crucial for you to understand that if your appendix gets inflamed, it does not mean that you should keep it in, just because it has a function.
“So it is sort of a fun thing that we have found. However we donot want this discovery to cause any harm. Therefore we donot want people saying, ‘oh, my appendix has a function’, so I’m not going to go to the doctor, I’m going to try to hang onto it.” – explains the Professor.
Most of this studies were conducted on koalas, because they are known for their long appendix. Therefore these studies can be tightly connected with their dietary cycle which is based on eucalyptus leaves.
Nicholas Vardaxis, an associate professor in the Department of Medical Sciences at RMIT University, also agrees with this theory of human appendix.
Source: Political Blind Spot